Jacob Bethell is set for England to “chuck me in the tough spot” as he gears up to captain the squad for the maiden occasion against Ireland on Wednesday, establishing him as the country’s youngest men’s captain.
With a key player rested for this condensed triple-header Twenty20 series in a Dublin suburb, just north of Dublin, the 21-year-old takes over to extend his rapid ascent in international cricket. He made his national team bow last autumn and excelled in his initial five-day contests against New Zealand at the close of the season. Still working to seal a regular place in the Test lineup, he has emerged as an first-choice selection in the coach’s white-ball teams.
“Baz phoned me and told me I was going to be skipper,” stated Bethell. “Not a whole lot has been said of why I’ve been picked for the role. I’m unsure of the specific logic of those making decisions. Perhaps it’s possibly just a show of confidence, and showing a belief. It’ll prove nice to see how I fare under scrutiny, and I believe that the people who made the decision would want to observe that as well.”
“I like when challenges come at a fast pace, it usually get me up and going. So I prefer those circumstances, doesn’t mean they always work. But with luck this one pans out.”
Despite plenty of seasoned pros in the team to play Ireland, his rise is in line with the coaching staff’s daring tendencies when it regards selection. He will have to rely on his past background of captaining the youth team.
Type of Captaincy
“Inexperienced but eager,” answered a grinning the captain when asked what type of leader he is. “The key aspect I’ve respected in skippers I’ve had previously is how they handle players. Some strategic call you make is going to succeed, but it’s guiding the lads well so they know you’re supporting them. I’ve got no fixed plans of how I’ll act.”
Bethell has hit his stride with the batting since he was announced as captain last month, having scored his first professional century in the final one-dayer against the Proteas less than a two weeks ago. “I had a break for a period and maybe dropped form, but regained that rhythm return about during the tournament so it’s fantastic to be back feeling good.” He did not get dragged into any detailed speculation: “I’m firmly concentrated to the Ireland games.”
Rivals Challenges
One batsman and Paul Stirling “represent the key challenges with the bat” for Ireland, said the skipper. The hosts enter underprepared having not played since summer – a completely different story to England – and will be without the whippy left-arm pace of a key bowler, on the mend from a rib injury. Yet, the only completed T20 encounter between these two teams brought an Irish victory in Australia at the World Cup three years ago, a signal that it may not be all smooth for the new captain over the series.
